I friggin love roof boxes.
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An “8 person” tent (actually what a family of 4 needs) and 4 sleeping bags, multiple pads, two rugs, a 8x8 shade pergola, tarp. And none of it inside the truckster. Even if a family goes on vacation once a year they are worth it. Best if you can rent one, however, prices are kinda steep.Now, they are unwieldy and aren’t completely light…but once on, golly it’s a relief to use. Happy vacation ahead.
No longer am I F-bombing in front of my kids.
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@grindintosecond I do kinda miss mine (sold it to my brother). I guess I could just borrow it but I think he's using it this weekend. This is what a similar setup looks like in the cruiser.
Headed out to the mountains tonight with 3 of the 4 family members (dad and daughters trip). The only thing that would change would be another pad and another bag is the misses were coming. Granted this is just an overnighter but it really doesn't matter. One night or one week, it's about the same amount of gear. The fridge takes up a lot of room, but it has more than enough food for what we need. We could probably stretch it to 2 or 3 nights with what I'm bringing.
I will admit to packing heavy and my pads are big beefy boys, same with the chairs, same with the blankets (sleeping bags have more or less been retired in my camping these days).
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@grindintosecond There's someone at my work (or I assume they still have the car, i haven't been in the office for a year and a half except a couple of quick trips) that has a Chevy Spark with the biggest fucking roof box I've ever seen. Looks almost twice the height of yours. And while I get the "buy the car that works for you and attach what you need for occasions" all I can think when I see it - because the box NEVER comes off is - did you just...buy the wrong car for your needs?!
To my knowledge, she was younger (probably mid/early 20s) with no kids. I'm not saying she needed a full-size SUV, but seems like buying something just a LITTLE bigger would've been a better call lol.
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@montegoman562 That box on a Spark probably cuts top speed and gas mileage in half. Many people have no common sense.
...meh...
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@grindintosecond two years ago when we went camping, we borrowed one. It was definitely handy. We ended up buying a very similar one last year.
I still want to make my own out of aluminum - pattern it after the late 1930s/early 1940s style of aircraft.
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Tent sizes are so wack. My 4-person tent could squeeze in three if and only if all three were fine with spooning
2013 Hayabusa
2021 701 Enduro
1998 VFR800
1995 Miata -
I love being behind someone with a roof box.. said no one ever
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@grindintosecond Just bought a Yakima Skybox 16, first use will be in two weeks for a trip to Colorado. I plan to put it on this weekend for a shakedown run. (Can't leave it on, I park in a garage at work with a Max height of 6'7", and I only have about 3-4" of clearance as it is.)
It will be interesting to see how the Suburban drives with it on, and if there is a clear mileage drop.
What have you seen mileage wise? Enough dip to notice?
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2008 Honda Fit
A Known Dad, prone to Dad Jokes
Full of Meaty Goodness -
@aestheticsinmotion said in I friggin love roof boxes.:
Tent sizes are so wack. My 4-person tent could squeeze in three if and only if all three were fine with spooning
My rule of thumb is, take the person rating and divide it by 2.
For myself and my two kids, I went straight to the 10 person, 2-room tent. Leaves plenty of space for people, stuff and the 2nd room means you can have privacy more easily while changing clothes.
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@manwich @Grindintosecond Unless my eyes aren't working well, aren't the rear clips on that roof box not even attached?
Now, I agree you need to be mindful when loading the box, but that test seems a bit rigged.
2015 Suburban 4WD / 1988 BMW 535i (manual) / 1988 Suburban (#squarebody)
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@houstonrunner said in I friggin love roof boxes.:
@manwich @Grindintosecond Unless my eyes aren't working well, aren't the rear clips on that roof box not even attached?
Now, I agree you need to be mindful when loading the box, but that test seems a bit rigged.
Well rigged or not, the lesson is to put lighter stuff in the rooftop box and put the heavier stuff in the car.
2008 Honda Fit
A Known Dad, prone to Dad Jokes
Full of Meaty Goodness -
@aestheticsinmotion The only tent manufacture I've ever seen that is true to size is Springbar. I have a Traveler 5 and 5 full grown dudes fit comfortably, with 6 or 7 in a pinch.
Freaking monsters though, its like 60 lbs all in.
Some kind of sentient rodent - Overland Curator.
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@manwich I only put soft and light stuff up top - clothes, sleeping bags, mattress pads, tent, etc. The bonus is that because they are all compressible you can fit more up top.
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@grindintosecond Rooftop boxes are awesome! My dad has a Thule Atlantis 1600 he bought ~ 15 years ago which I occasionally borrow. We've both used it and still use it for camping and any time we need additional soft cargo storage. It also came in handy for moving into college dorms a few times many years ago.
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@boxer_4 said in I friggin love roof boxes.:
@manwich I only put soft and light stuff up top - clothes, sleeping bags, mattress pads, tent, etc. The bonus is that because they are all compressible you can fit more up top.
And if someone steals your stuff out of the box, you'll just have to become a nudist!
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@grindintosecond
Me too!
This was one of our Scout trips. Tent, packs, stove, fishing gear, etc., all loaded up top. Three scouts rode with me to the campsite. -
@hammerheadfistpunch huh. I haven't ventured past a "4 person" tent yet.
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@grindintosecond Preach.
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@grindintosecond I too love cargo boxes. I packed a bunch of stuff I didn't trust to movers in mine last year and drove across the country from Missouri to Ca.
Picked up a used huge craftsman box for $150 off CL and while it almost doubled the space in the wagon it did cut my gas mileage by 1/3 and created awful wind noise.
Former hoarder of motorcycles, recent CA transplant, nerd.
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That’s odd! The only noise I hear from my roof box is when it’s empty and the hardware is rattling. I do have the aerodynamic OEM crossbars and the box itself is pretty aero. I wonder what’s making all the noise with your setup.
Never discount the possibility that you might live through it.
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@bicyclebuck I ran Yakima aero bars that had no wind noise on their own, it was probably that I spent most of the time with the cruise set at 85 and was trying to outrun a winter storm on I-80 and there were 30+mph winds too. Actually had to drive with earbuds in for a good chunk of it.
Former hoarder of motorcycles, recent CA transplant, nerd.
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Yes, they're very popular due to their versatility!
And Firefly:
And The Expanse:
And Agents of SHIELD.
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@grindintosecond I'm still using an old roof box I've had for 25-30 years.
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@aestheticsinmotion this is why I like my one person tent. It's at least honest.
